Newport woman could be 'Levi's Girl'

Chapman University alumna Roxanne Kaiden, 23, is a finalist to be the face behind the iconic jeans brand.

July 12, 2010|By Sarah Peters, sarah.peters@latimes.com

Roxanne Kaiden is a finalist in a national competition… (Don Leach, Daily…)

NEWPORT BEACH — Roxanne Kaiden, a 23-year-old Chapman University graduate, is one of five finalists in a national competition to become the female face of Levi's brand jeans.

The first "Levi's Girl" competition is a nationwide search for a spokeswoman who can use YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other social media to revive the historic brand for the next generation of denim-clad American youth.

"I can do the marketing and the social media locally," said Kaiden, who until recently managed social media sites for a Costa Mesa swimwear company. "I'm excited to try it nationally and even worldwide if [Levi's] lets me."

As of Monday, Kaiden is in second place with 29% of the votes, according to the competition's website. If Kaiden wins, she will be awarded a six-month paid internship in San Francisco to work closely with Levi's media team.

Although Kaiden has deep roots in Newport — family, friends and an exuberant class of 7- to 11-year-old students who keep her busy teaching them tennis lessons at the Palisades Tennis Club, she is ready for her next big adventure.

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"I come from a pretty loud family," Kaiden said. "I have never been one to back away from new opportunities and I love meeting new people."

Kaiden will know shortly after July 15, when voting on the Facebook page closes, if she will be the first "Levi's Girl." She would relocate to San Francisco in August.

"It's pretty crazy how fast it all is," Kaiden said.

In order to be prepared — just in case — she already has done some apartment-hunting, she said.

In a few short weeks, Kaiden made a 2-minute video about herself, set up a Facebook page, YouTube channel, and blog under a pseudonym, "Levis Rox," to showcase her skills promoting not only the Levi's, but herself as a candidate for the face of the iconic brand.

Her blog has already given her the excuse to meet several new people — not that she's ever needed an excuse to get up and talk to new people — and take photos with them in a section titled Levi's Street Style, she said.

At an award luncheon for Mr. Irrelevant, a celebration of the last man picked in the 2010 NFL Draft, Kaiden noticed one of the keynote speakers, retired NFL player Matt Willig, was wearing Levi's and grabbed him for a photo opportunity for her blog.

"He was a little intimidating. He must be above 7 feet tall," she said. "But you can't be afraid to just talk to people and get your message out."

Voting can only be done through Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/24hf2sk). Voting ends closes on July 15.

"Roxanne is the kind of girl that every parent says that you must be so proud of her," Kaiden's mother, Lori, said. "She's honest and she's earned the respect of everyone around her. She would be perfect for this."